Last Updated: August 23, 1999
specifications - work in progress - blizzard '96 - Ford Links
I drive a 1971 Ford Torino 500 two-door hardtop with a 302 V8. Don't get excited, its bone stock and its not a collector's item or anything - but I think it will be someday. It is a "Spring Promotional" model which is a bit unusual - the model came with unusual paint - light pewter metallic - and special red trim, only available on that model. I don't know how many were made, or if they're particularily sought after, but there aren't any like it in B.C. that I know of.
I bought my Torino in December, 1995, from its second owner, who had owned the car for about 14 years. She’d parked it in 1990 until need for cash forced her to sell it.
Click here to see larger images (long download times for slower connections).
The car started and ran well, but I could see it would need a fair bit of TLC before being roadworthy. The five years of sitting had taken a toll, and at first glance, I was quite uneasy about buying such a hulk, but my mechanical friend persuaded me that there was still life in the old beast. Balding old-style summer radials (one of them flat), a rotted out muffler, and the fact that the woman insisted we fix the brakes before it left her driveway were clear indicators of expenses to come.
I have the original owner's manual and Car Care Guide, and a sheet with "instructions on how to start the car", which I've scanned and put here. If you have a slow connection this may take awhile to download.
In the first six months, Stephane and I did the following repairs:
- new front (disc) brakes, including calipers and rotors. The rotors were expensive (about $90 each) because they were vented disk brakes (massive ones at that) and included most of the hub as well.
- new tires - 215/70R14 all-season radials to go on the wide (optional) stock 14 x 7 rims.
- new battery (the battery in the car was a loaner, so I could hear it run before purchase - it was not included with the purchase.)
- new muffler and pipes - this came from Island Brake and Muffler and they had to custom make the “Y” pipe to stock specifications (I opted to go with the stock single exhaust because dual exhaust would have cost me an additional $200.)
- new radiator and heater core, and radiator hoses, thermostat, etc... Could not find a purely stock radiator so I bought one that was designed for another early 70’s Ford that happened to have the same hookups, but was a few inches wider. Fortunately, it still fit in the stock mounting brackets.
- Shocks (I actually managed to do this without Stephane’s help)
- Starter & Ignition (including a new steering column lock - amazingly, this only cost $8.95 and was available at Canadian Tire!) The old lock was so worn you could start the car without a key.
- Fuel Pump (the old one developed a leak and I went through a quarter tank of gas in a big hurry -- but I did have the cleanest oil filter in town!)
- some miscellaneous detailing, like adding a tachometer which I mounted on the dash where the stock AM radio speaker used to be, and seat covers for the front seat (I used truck seat covers designed for a SuperCab - they worked well with the split-fold bench seat - and are more durable than car seat covers). A new switch for the rear defrost fan - which actually works fairly well for clearing mist, but is hopeless for much else.
Marie,
Stephane’s significant other, laced on a black leather cover
to the steering wheel for comfort and that “cowboy”
look. (It also matches my leather jacket)
I got some lock pins from an ‘80’s Ford Escort to make the car a little less easy to break into with a coat hanger - they don’t have a lip on them for a coat hanger to grab.
In the fall I scrounged around at an auto wrecker’s and found an ignition control module, coil, and distributor from a mid 70’s Mercury Comet (with a V8) - this will allow me to convert my car to electronic ignition, hopefully with improved gas mileage as a result. The current fuel economy averages 13.5 miles per gallon, combined city/highway travel (mostly short runs in town). I’ll keep you posted. Here it is two years later, and I still haven't installed it - its still sitting in my closet, and I suppose I'll give it away with the car when I sell it.
During the recent “Blizzard of ‘96” here in Victoria, I bolted a set of snow tires (which came with the car, but mounted on narrow 5 1/2” rims) on the rear and with those was able to get around reasonably well until we got 60 cm in one night, at which point it was so deep that the car was suspended off the ground in it and couldnt get traction, even with chains on.
In the spring of '97 I put in a new timing chain, put in new intake manifold and valve cover gaskets, and replaced the carburetor. An electric choke thermostat replaced the old heat-activated one for easier starts on cold mornings. I replaced the water pump at the same time, as well as radiator and heater hoses that showed signs of wear. Rear brakes also had to be re-shoed.
Fuel economy and driveability was greatly improved with the new carburetor. I found myself getting an average of 14.5 miles per gallon in town, and 18 to 19 miles per gallon on the island highway. I never made it off the Island with my car, but I expect I would have gotten over 20 mpg on the open highway.
Well since I last updated this page in February, I've made some changes in my lifestyle. Due to the need to commute up to Nanaimo I decided I needed a vehicle that was a little easier on the gas bill. I happened to have a spare Toyota Cressida with no engine sitting around, so I decided to get myself another Cressida, and as luck would have it, found one made in the same year and month as the one I had.
I'd sell the Torino if I were to get any serious offers on it. I'm running out of room for car stuff and my life-priorities have changed dramatically over the last couple of years.
If you are interested in it,
I'm now asking $1300 for it (I've racked up over $2000 in parts
put into it) - you can email
me 
